From Menards to Modular: Building a Reliable Path to Automation

From Menards to Modular: Building a Reliable Path to Automation

From Rapid Fire Manufacturing by RapidFireManufacturing

February 25, 2026 · 38 min

About this episode

Eric Nekich discusses his journey from selling building materials to advancing automation in manufacturing.

In this episode of Rapid Fire Manufacturing, I sit down with Eric Nekich, Business Development Director at Advanced Machine and Engineering. Eric shares his unique story of entering the industry in 2010 after selling building materials at Menards and how he applied that sales grit to the world of modular workholding. We get into the hard truth that you cannot automate an unreliable process. Eric explains why automation only amplifies what you already have, meaning if your process is "dumb," the robot will just make it dumber faster. We walk through the three step evolution of a modern shop: building a repeatable foundation, automating that proven workflow, and finally optimizing with adaptive controls to stop guessing on tool life. This conversation is a practical roadmap for anyone looking to scale, run lights out, or improve their shop’s rigidity and accessibility. We also discuss the power of mentorship and why staying teachable is the fastest way to move ahead in manufacturing.

People in this episode

Host: RapidFireManufacturing

Guest: Eric Nekich

Topics covered

  • automation
  • modular workholding
  • manufacturing processes
  • mentorship
  • shop optimization

Keywords

  • automation
  • modular workholding
  • manufacturing
  • process reliability
  • mentorship

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Advanced Machine and Engineering, Menards

More episodes of Rapid Fire Manufacturing

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Rapid Fire Manufacturing podcast page.